Old Friends

Weirdness abound today. Well maybe just weird irony. Let me explain. Kai was down from Kingston for the day (see previous post). While we were working we were discussing our team, old and current employee’s. It was so hot in my office that I fled with Kai to a cube by our portable AC units. Jayson was crazy and held out in the office. Since we were all so hot we decided to go out for some ice cream.

On the way out we ran into Keith. Turns out he came by to get some softball equipment we had. The irony in that?

When we came out of the building he was talking to Mitch and one or two other people. I didn’t stop to say anything. I just waved when we left the building. I wanted to go over and talk to him. I just don’t know what to say. I don’t hold any hurt feelings. I just don’t know if he still has issues. The last time we spoke it didn’t go very well. Not sure how it would have gone over if I actually tried to talk to him. To be honest I didn’t want to risk an argument. I just don’t want to deal with one. I would like to resolve some open “issues” but I realized over 2 months ago that their will be no resolution. I will live with that. Life is too short to dwell on that.

This blog entry was written while listening to Our Lives from the album “Two” by The Calling

Productive Day

I got allot done today. Some days I get allot done, but it doesn’t feel that way. The majority of days feel that way. It is the nature of what I do that the work I do in a day is not always (almost never) what I plan on doing when I get up in the morning. I mean some of what I plan on doing usually gets done, but there are always things that pop up.

Today I was able to work through my back log of issues. I got allot of the requests done. I only have a few more to clear out. I am under 10 issues in my “ticket box”. that is good for me. That does not include the 57 open tasks my department has. I am just talking about issues that crop up throughout the day.

I also was able to go out for lunch with cari and jayson. We went to the Old Town Tavern. it was nice. We don’t normally get to go out for lunch.

I am off to home to do my laundry, and take a nap. I have to be up by 1AM to do some work on our Fulfillment servers. I need to put them on our automated update schedule.

I hope I can nap. But I am not holding my breath.

The Waiting For Approval

Friday I went looking for an apartment again, and I found something I loved. It was in my price range. Near the subway, had a doorman, and even had a health club and pool in the complex. Basically everything I wanted and more. I was surprised to find I could afford what I got, in Manhattan. I didn’t think it was possible.

I signed papers last friday. I brought my deposit of a first month’s rent and the security deposit. I now await final approval. The building needs to finish running my credit check. I am not worried about that, but I still don’t have a definitive yes or no yet. That is what drives me crazy.

I am ending up eating the cost of a deposit I put down on a place on Tuesday. I am not happy about that, but if I ate the $400 deposit, I can goto the nicer place. The original apartment I tried to get had a small bedroom, and the building was not as nice. I think I am definitely upgrading in my choose.

I am very excited. I heard good things about the location and the building. It is a small world since Mark from work also lives in the same building, and Molly who used to work with us also lives there. So far I have heard only positive things from people that have lived there.

The commute will be about 20-30 minutes. On the long end of what I wanted to do, but it is all one train. And the train stops close to work and to the new apartment. It looks like there is places to eat and buy stuff nearby also.

My issue is that I have to wait till July 15 to move in. It saves me from paying a full month of double rent, and I am happy about that, but I want to get the move over with already. I have been wanting to do this since late April. I like to move fast on stuff like this. Oh well. For now I can just plan and prepare for the move.

Another Pool Day

I did some scanning of bills in the AM. I got up at 8AM again. that is killing me. Then I went to the pool with Jayson for the afternoon. We watched Aliens the movie afterward. That is one of my all time favorite movies. So many awesome lines in that movie. Bill Paxton rocked. I was so happy when the DVD version came out with the deleted scenes. Saw it for the first time with my surround sound system. The explosions really do sound better. Not sure if family next door to me liked it though?

I took another 2 Butabitols today. I started feeling shitty by the pool. I feel great now with them in my system!!!

I am also almost out of guest passes for the pool club. Thank goodness I move by 7-31-04. More later, I am off to bed. Maybe I will get a good night sleep tonight???

Saving Month

I am trying, and partially succeeding in not spending allot of money this month. I am moving in July (hopefully) and it costs allot. So I want to save a chunk of cash this month and next. Won’t talk about how much, but it is enough to make me stop and think before I buy anything.

I looked at my credit card balance and almost freaked because it was so high. Then I realized that it was 90% work related stuff. That got me to do an expense report. I hope my fiscal responsibility holds up for 6 or so more weeks. I don’t want to be down in my savings because of a move. Right now I don’t know if I can pull it off. I am keeping my fingers crossed…

Spring Cleaning

I cleaned out some of the crap I have in my closets this weekend. I am planning on my move, so I am getting rid of crap now. I got rid of some books that I didn’t think I would ever read again. I also found some old cassette tapes I had from the 80’s and early 90’s. I tossed them since I had already gotten 95% of the music on the computer as MP3’s.

I have more cleaning to do, but I didn’t feel up to doing it yet. I have a ton of old clothes that probably need to go. Moving gets you to think do you really need stuff?

This blog entry was written while listening to Something About You from the album “America Town” by Five for Fighting

Apartment Still Up In The Air

The apartment I am looking to get is still up in the air. Some sort of issue of when I want it vs when they want to rent it. To hedge my bets I am looking again tomorrow with a different broker. My friend Miguel from work’s sister is a broker and will show me places tomorrow. Hopefully I like one of the places, or the other thing comes through.

This whole process sucks. Finding an apartment is not fun. Everyone seems sleazy even if they seem friendly at first. They seem out to get you when it comes time for money. Things they said at first slowly change, extra things come up. I am not a push over and was like WTF. I am dealing with a broker because I didn’t want to waste my time, and now I find myself wasting tons of it.

I have 3 requirements. Why is it that 75% of the time I am shown an apartment one or two of the requirements are not meet? I don’t have crazy requirements. all of them are checkable before I even see a place, but no I am still screwed into seeing places that don’t meet the requirements I setup. Dam bastards.

Yes I am a bit frustrated. At least I still have over a month before I must find a place.

The Breakup

I wonder why I don’t talk allot about my personal life on this thing. Then I remember. I didn’t mention my girlfriend for a while, but I felt I was omitting large parts of my life so I decided to mention her at least in passing. Now I have to mention other information. I probably don’t but I feel compelled to bring it up now and not discuss it again. We are no longer seeing each other. This was a decision I made, and I don’t regret it. That does not make it that much easier though. I won’t get into any sobby details. Sorry if you thought I would get all emotional!

I do feel like writing more about it, but that is not my style, or I don’t think it is. I do feel like writing so if I end up babbling about other nonsense topics, you know why.

The Apartment

I put a deposit down on an application for an apartment. Everywhere else in the universe but NYC it works differently. Here you apply for an apartment, and then they see who has the best credit, is willing to pay the most, and is also willing to move in the soonest and that person gets the apartment. Not first come first serve. It is crappy, but I need a place, and it is supply and demand.

I filled out all the information they needed. This included a letter from my work, a W2 from last year, a copy of a recent pay stub, a bank statement, 2 references for credit, copy of my drivers license, and who knows what else. I offered to give them DNA for their records also. I was told all that was enough for the application. Now I am being asked to come back in for some other reason. not sure why, but if isn’t a good reason I am going to go ballistic on these people. I am not that desperate yet where I will put up with this shit forever.

Not sure if Jayson is having better luck going straight to the owners of apartments, vs my dealing with a broker.

Still Apartment Hunting

I saw 3 more apartments today. I liked 2 of them. The only problem is they were both on the high side. Not too high, but if you inch higher in what you are going to pay, the next thing you know you are paying way more than you originally planned on.

Both apartments were nice. One was a big bigger than the other. But the smaller place was in a much better location. I think I am going to put in an application for the smaller place. I liked the location, and the building was nice.

The third place I went, was none of the above. it was not in a nice area, it was not a great building, and it didn’t have a 24 hour doorman like I requested.

The original buildings I wanted to see today had no openings. They filled up between the time I asked to see them, and the time we were going to go to see them. Oh well.

I am going to think over my choices tonight and call the real estate broker tomorrow. Hopefully the place I finally choose is not yet taken. That seems like it may happen. Stuff moves fast in manhattan in the summer.